Work hoist



June 7, 1960 H. M. HENRY 2,939,590

WORK HOIST Filed March 7, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 g' INVENTOR. H422? MHz-wa June 7, 1960 H. M. HENRY 2,939,590

WORK HOIST Filed March '7, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 --'--fi G in g is E INVENTOR. Man M HEN/er dttorn y nitcd States This invention relates generally to work hoists, and more particularly to a work hoist for use in the building trade.

' In the construction of homes and other buildings, panels of sheet rock or other sheet material are frequent- 1y secured in overhead positions in rooms. In the past, panels of'this character have been manually lifted into the 'desiredoverhead position and held in this position during attachment thereof to the overhead beams.

Some panels, such as sheet rock panels, which are applied in this manner, are relatively heavy and may weigh on the order of 200 pounds. Manual lifting of the panels into and retention of the panels 'in position was,itherefore, ajdiflicult and, tiring procedure requiring the aid of several workmen; Moreover, this procedure involved a safety hazard as a result of possible accidental dropping of the panel on one of the workmen.

l n f 2,939,596} Patented Jnnev, 1960 .of the hoist when not in use, to facilitate storage and transportation of the hoist. v

The invention may be best understood from the following detaileddescription thereof, taken in connection with the annexed drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of the presenthoist and showing the latter in a-partly elevated position;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section taken along line 2-2 of Fig. l; p

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken along line 3--3 of A broad object of the invention is the provision of a work hoist which overcomes the foregoing problems.

.A more specific object of-the invention is the provision of a work hoist for elevating construction panels into overhead positions and retaining the panels in these positions during installation. Y

"Another object of the .invention is the provision of a work hoist of the character described which is desig-ned to facilitate placing of a panel on the hoist.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a work hoist of the charatcer described which may be readily moved from one position to-another.

ffurther objectof the invention is the provision of a work hoist of the character described which is collapsible into a compact unit to facilitate storage andtransportationof the-hoist. j

Yet a further object of the invention is the provision of a work hoist of the character describedwhich is adjustable to accommodate different ceihng heights and which embodies safety means to prevent rapid descent of the hoist. v

v A still further object of the invention is the provision of a work hoist of the character described which is relatively simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and simple to use, so as to be ideally suited to its intended function.

Other advantages, objects and features, of the invention will become apparent asthe description proceeds.

Briefly, the foregoing objects are attained by the provision of a basemounting an upstanding elongate sleeve. Vertically slideable in this sleeve is a shaft to the upper end of which is hinged, for swinging about a horizontal axis, a fork-like work-supporting frame...

The shaft normally occupies a-lowered position in its sleeve, and the frame normally occupies a position wherein'it-is inclined downwardly, at an acute angle to the shaft and sleeve, so as to facilitate placingof a panel on the frame. Means are provided for elevating the shaft and frame in .such a manner that the frame remains in itsrinclined position hntil the upper end of the shaft Fig. 4 is a section taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3', Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the present hoist and showing the latter in its lowered, partly elevated, and fully elevated position; a Fig. 6. is a side elevation of the present stand in lowered and collapsed position; and

a Fig. 7" is an enlarged detail illustrating certain adiustable jstop means embodied in the hoist.

Referring to these drawings, the present hoist will be seen to comprise a base plate 10 mounting a caster 12. Welded, or otherwise rigidly fixed at its lower end, to thisbase plate, is an elongate, upstanding sleeve 14. Also fixed at its lower end to the base plate 10 and at its upper end to the upper endof the sleeve 12 is a reinforcing post 16. The major portion of this post extends in spaced parallel relationship to the sleeve 14, as shown. The side of the base plate 10, remote from thecaster 12, is received between the convergent ends'of a pair of divergent legs 18 comprising a generally A-shaped frame 20. The :base plate is hinged to the legs 18 by pins 22 for swinging of the frame 20, between its position of Fig. 1, and its position of Fig. 6, about a horizontal axis spaced from the left-hand ends of the-legs 18, as the hoist is viewed in-Fig. l. Legs 18 are rigidly joined by cross bars 24 and mount rollers 26 and 28 at opposite ends.

. :In the lowered position of the frame 20, illustrated in Figs. land 5, the rollers 28 and the caster 12 are coplanarly disposed for nollably supporting the hoist on a horizontal surface. In this position of the frame 20,

the left-hand rollers 26 are elevated above the supporting surface, as may be observed most readily in Fig. 5. In the elevated position of the frame 20, the rollers 26 are located to rollahly support the hoist, as shown in Fig. 6. Pivoted to the legs 18 of the frame 20 is a generally ,V-shape'd frame 30 comprising convergent side members 32,"the left-hand convergent ends of which straddle and are pivotally connected to a sleeve 34. Sleeve 34 is slideahle on the reinforcing post '16.

Sli'deably receivable in diametrically opposed, aligned holes in the sleeve 34 is a lock pin 36. This lock pin is' I selectively insertabl'e through sets of alignedopenings;

spaced lengthwise :of the post 16, for retaining the sleeve 34 in the position of Fig; 5, wherein theframe 20 is locked in its lowered position, and the position of Fig. 6 wherein the frame 20 is lockal in its elevated position.

Extending slideably into the upper end of the sleeve 14. is a rod 38. Hingeably connected to the upper end of. this rod by a pin 40, for swinging about'a horizontal, 4

transverse axis of the rod,- is a'work-supporting frame 42. This frame 42 comprises a pair of tubular frame members 44, the ends of which, proximate to the rod 38, are disposed in abutting, parallel relationship and firmly secured togethenas by welding. The opposite ends of the frame rnernbis 44 separate to formal of divergent legs 46. Rigicll y fixed to thefree ends er legs are a pair of. angles having outwardly extending fianges48. 1

Firmly bonded to the frame members 44, and exten ing outwardly therefrom in the plane of the divergent fraiiie legs 46 are a pair of sleeves 50. slideably received in these sleeves are rods 52 which aie shouldered at their outer ends, as shown. In use of the work hoist, as] ll be presently more fully describei thc rbdsez areslid' able into and out 'of'the sleeves 50 to vary meieireetive width of the work supporting firemen in accordance with the length 'of the panel P'to be handled.

Indicated at 54 is an elongate sleeve on the upper end of which is a ri'gid'cross arin' 55. Cross arm 55 is journalled' at opposite ends ina pair of brackets fixed to the sleeves G, shown. Sleeve 54 is slideably received over a shaft 56,"th lower end of which is also provided with arigid cross arm 58 Opposite ends of this latter cross ar'm are journalle'd' in a pair of upstand ing brackets 60 fixedto the upper side of the base plate 10. The sleeve S4'and shaft 56 are swingable about an 'xis paralleling the axis of the hinge pin '40 on the work,- supporting frame'42;

Pivotally attached at one end to the lower end of the sleeve -54, by means of a connector 62, is a cable 64. This cable extends upwardly -'fron'rthe lower'e'nd of the sleeve 54 over afpulley '65,v journalled on the upper end of the sleeve 14-, and then downwardly to a cable drurii 66. Drum 66' is also ioumanedon the sleeve-Maud is provided with a handle 68- by which the drum 66 may be turned towindgthe cable 64 thereon or unwind the cable therefrom. This druin 66' is'provided' with releaseable, ratcheting lock ine'ans,-generally indicated at 70 in Fig. 4, for locking the drum against counterclockwise rotation during which the cable- 64 unwinds from the drum.

In the normal lowered position of the work hoist, illustrated in solid lines in Fig. 5', the rod 38 is telescoped into its sleeve 14, the sleeve '54' occupies a substantially vertical position and is telescoped to a lower limiting position on the shaft 56; and the work supporting name '42 occupies a downv'vai-dly'inclined position; as illustrated; -A send-cylindrical: stop 72 receives thefsleeve -'54 in this lowered position thereof to support 'it against -later'al rocking.

Fixed at one end-to the upper end of the rod 381's a smaller rod 74. This rod 74 extends downwardly in spaced parallel relationship to the rod and sleeve '14, and slideably through aligned openings in a short sleeve sec tion 76 (Fig. 7 which mounts the seini cylindrical' stop 72 on the sleeve 14. Slideably received on the lower end of the rod 74, below the sleeve section 76, is an adjnstable stop 78, which may be locked-in adjusted position on the rod 74' by means of a'set screw 80.

In use of the'hoisLthe rod 38, work-supporting frame 42 and sleeve 54 will be initially in their lowered, solid line positions of Fig. 5. When the drum '66 is turned in a clockwise direction to wind the cable 64 thereon, the sleeve 54 is elevated; This results inan'upwardfforc'e on thework siipporting. frame 42,, Owingto the weight ofthe extending, right-hand end of the frame, asthe hoist is viewed in 'the drawings, the frame tends to remainin its inclined position as the sleeve 54 'is' elevated.-

Accordingly, during initial rotation arms druinfifi; toelevate. the sleeve 54,.th'e work-supportingframeistranslated upwardly in this. inclined-position and the rod 33 is extended out. of the sleeve 14, as indicated in phantom lines in Fig. 5. This upward translation: of the franie 42 tinues until the stop 78 abuts the underside of the sleeve extension 76.

Further upward extension of the rod 38 is now prevented. Continued elevation of the sleeve 54 by clockwise turning of the drum 66, therefore, causes upward swinging of the work-supporting frame 42 from its phantom line inclined position of Fig. 5 to its horizontal dotted line position of that figure. During this elevation of the frame 42 and sleeve '54, the latter and its inner rod 56 swing outwardly away from the sleeve 14, as indicated in Fig. 5.

In the lower position of the hoist, therefore, the frame 42 will be seen to be positioned for easy placement of a panel P on the frame.. This panel rests against the outwardly extending flanges 48 on the frame, as shown. When the hoist is elevated, the panel is swung upwardly to a horizontal position with the frame. The stop 78 is adjusted to limit upper extension of the rod 38 toqapfiioxiiriately the height of' the: ceiling to whichthe panel P is tobe applied. Thus, when the frame 42 swings upwardly from its phantom line to its dotted line positions tifF-ig. 5, the panel P will be held flush against the ceiling. The flanges 48' also serve to space adjacent panels.

- The ratcheting lock 70, of course, retains the frame 42 iii its horizontal, elevated position. After panel has been installed, the pawl '70 of this lock is released to permit the frame to be lowered. in order to limit the speed at which the frame will descend under its own weight, as well as to limit the speed at which the frame in its. inclinedv position and. extension of hosed-3866a will descend in the event the ratcheting lock fails with spam P supp-s ted a the framers; exam le, the rod 56 is provided with a-cl'o'se sliding fit in its sleeve 54, as say be seen most readily in Fig. 2', and the up er end of the'sleeve 5 4 is formed with a small port or orifice 82; This orifice" restricts the rate at which air may exhaust from the inside of the sleeve 54 above the shaft 5'6, and hence then-ate of descent of the frame 42.

-It will be seen in Fig. 6 that when the 7 frame 20 is sworn: upwardly to its elevated position and the work supporting frame 42 is in its lower position, the hoist is relatively compact so as tofacilita'te storage or trans portatio'n thereof. It will also be apparent that. the present hoist is relatively light weight so' as to be readily movable from one position to another. g While a preferredernbodiment of the invention has been deseribed and illustrated, it will be apparent "that numerous modifications in design and arrangement of parser-e ''possible within the scope of the following Y =I el'airii: a w p I V 1. A hoist for elevating a building panel to a horizontaloverhead position, comprising: a base including a base plate; a suppbrti'ng roller on said plate; a stabilizing frame hinged adjacent one end to said plate for swinging on a horizontal axis between a lower horizontal'position and an elevated position; means forlocking said frarne in said positions thereof; 'fi'rstroll'ers on said one end of said framefor engaging a supporting surface in the elevated position 'of the name; second rbll'ers'o'n the other end of the frame for engaging the supporting surface in the lowered position of the frame; a vertical, el'ev'atable rod on said base; a panel supporting frame hinged at one end to-the' upper end of said rod for swinging about a hori zontal axis-[said rod and latter franie'havingnormal positions-wherein. the rod is lowered 'and'jthelatter fi'ari e is inclineddownwardly at an -a'cfit'e angle to the red; nd elevating means operable in 'o'ne' direction to initially simultaneously elevate said-rod a given distanceand translate saidfatter frame upwardly in' inclined position and: subseqdently' swing said latter fiame upwardly- "toa substantially horizontal position upons'aid -rod' being elevated. said given distance, said means being" operable 'in the reverse directidn to-efiectt lowering of s'aid 'rod an'd latter frame to vtheir -irorxmil;positions. l

-2. A-hoist forelev'ating axbuildingipaucl: we

overhead position, comprising: a base; a vertically elevatable rod supported on said base; a panel supporting frame hinged at one end to the upper end of said rod for swinging on a first horizontal axis, said rod and frame having normal positions wherein the rod is lowered and the frame is inclined downwardly at an acute angie to the rod; a telescopic sleeve and shaft assembly pivotally connected at one end to said base for pivoting on a second axis substantially parallel to said first axis and at the other end to said frame for pivoting on a third axis sub stantially parallel to the first axis and laterally spaced from the latter axis-toward the opposite end of the frame, the weight of the end of the frame on the side of said third axis remote from said rod exerting an upward force on the rod whereby extension of said assembly causes initial simultaneous elevation of said rod and upward translation of said frame in its inclined position; stop means for limiting elevation of said rod whereby continued extension of said assembly after engagement of said stop means causes upward swinging of the frame on said first axis to a substantially horizontal position; and operating means for effecting telescopic extension and retraction of said assembly to raise and lower the frame, the end of said sleeve toward which said shaft moves when the frame is lowered being closed and having a restricted orifice through which air in the sleeve vents to atmosphere whereby to cause gradual descent of the frame.

3. A hoist for elevating a building panel to a horizontal overhead position, comprising: a base; a vertically elevatable rod supported on said base; a panel supporting frame hinged at one end to the upper end of said rod for swinging on a first horizontal axis, said rod and frame having normal positions wherein the rod is lowered and the frame is inclined downwardly at anacute angle to the rod; a pair of telescopic sections; means pivotally connecting the outer end of one of said sections to said base for pivoting on a second axis substantially parallel to said first axis and means connecting the outer end of the other section to said frame for pivoting on a third axis substantially parallel to the first axis and laterally spaced from the latter axis toward the opposite end of the frame, the weight of the end of the frame on the side of said third axis remote from said rod exerting an upward force on the rod whereby extension of said sections causes initial simultaneous elevation of said rod and upward translation of said frame in its inclined position; stop means for limiting elevation of said rod whereby continued extension of said sections after engagement of said stop means causes upward swinging of the frame on said first axis to a substantially horizontal position; a cable attached at one end to said other telescopic section and extending upwardly therefrom; and a cable drum rotatably supported on said base onto which the other end of said cable is attached and onto which the cable is adapted to be wound to cause upward extension of said one section on said other section.

4. In a portable hoist, a horizontal base; hoist means supported on said base; roller means adjacent one end of the base for movably supporting the latter on a supporting surface; a stabilizing frame hinged adjacent one end to said base adjacent its opposite end for swinging on a horizontal axis between a lower horizontal position and an elevated position; means for locking said frame in said positions thereof; and first rollers on said one end of the frame for engaging the supporting surface in the elevated position of the frame and second rollers on the other end of the frame for engaging said surface in the lowered position of the frame.

5. A hoist for elevating a building panel to a horizontal overhead position, comprising: a base; a vertically elevatable rod supported on said base; a panel supporting frame hinged at one end to the upper end of said rod for swinging on a first horizontal axis, said rod and frame having normal positions wherein the rod is lowered and the frame is inclined downwardly at an acute angle to the rod; a telescopic sleeve and shaft assembly pivotally connected at one end to said base for pivoting on a second axis substantially parallel to said first axis and at the other end to said frame for pivoting on a third axis substantially parallel to the first axis and laterally spaced from the latter axis toward the opposite end of the frame, the weight of the end of the frame on the side of said third axis remote from said rod exerting an upward force on the rod whereby extension of said sections causes initial simultaneous elevation of said rod and upward translation of said frame in its inclined position; stop means for limiting elevation of said rod whereby continued extension of said sections after engagement of said stop means causes upward swinging of the frame on said first axis to a substantially horizontal position; means for vertically adjusting said stop means to adjust the height of said frame in its horizontal position; and operating means for effecting telescopic extension and retraction of said sections to raise and lower the frame.

6. A hoist for elevating a building panel to a horizontal overhead position, comprising: a base plate; vertical, telescopic members on said base plate, one of said members being rigidly fixed at its lower end to said plate; a panel supporting frame hinged at one end to the upper end of the other member for swinging of the frame about a horizontal axis; a pair of telescopic sections hingeably connected at one end to said base plate and at the other end to said frame intermediate said one end of the frame and its opposite end for pivoting of said sections relative to the base plate and frame about axes substantially paralleling said first-mentioned axis; said hoist having a normal condition wherein said members and sections are telescoped and said frame is downwardly inclined at an acute angle to said members; means for extending said telescopic sections to elevate said other member and frame, the weight of said opposite end of the frame causing initial simultaneous elevation of said other member and upward translation of said frame in its inclined position when said sections are extended; and adjustable stop means for limiting elevation of said other member whereby continued extension of said sections after engagement of said stop means causes upward swinging of said frame to a substantially horizontal position.

7. The subject matter of claim 6 wherein said telescopic sections comprise an outer sleeve and a shaft slideable in said sleeve; the end of said sleeve toward which said shaft moves when said other member and frame are lowered being closed and having a restricted orifice through which air in the sleeve vents to atmosphere when said frame and other member are lowered whereby to cause gradual descent thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,443,349 Foster June 15, 1948 2,719,060 Taylor Sept. 27, 1955 2,815,132 Stone Dec. 3, 1957 

